Normal Variation

The Normal Variation is the position the Center Game usually reaches when White recaptures at once with 3. Qxd4. White has regained the pawn and holds a lone pawn on e4 with half-open d- and e-files, but the queen stands exposed in the center. 3...Nc6 develops a piece while attacking it, so White must spend a second queen move before the minor pieces come out. The variation therefore turns on whether White's open lines and quick queenside castling compensate for this lost time. Engines rate the position as roughly balanced, and online results are almost even, with Black slightly ahead overall.

The usual retreat is 4. Qe3, the Paulsen Attack. It is the most common choice and gives White the best practical results of the main options. The queen faces the black king along the e-file and helps restrain ...d5, and Black most often continues 4...Nf6 with play on opposite wings, as outlined under the parent opening. Not every retreat is safe: 4. Qc3 loses the queen to 4...Bb4, which pins it against the king.

Nearly as popular is 4. Qd1, which brings the queen home and keeps it out of further harassment, at the cost of handing Black even more time. Black usually develops with 4...Nf6 and can then prepare ...d5 in favorable conditions, a central break that tends to equalize at least. Black scores better than White after this retreat. Among the other squares, 4. Qd3 is one of the engine's preferred moves although it is seldom played, and many of the remaining retreats likewise allow an early ...d5.

The less frequent choices are 4. Qa4 and 4. Qc4. The former places the queen on the edge in the manner of the Scandinavian Defense main line with colors reversed, and it is about as successful for White as the average. The latter is the Hall Variation, which keeps the queen active on the a2–g8 diagonal and produces roughly level results.